Pilot chute ejector



Jan. 24, 1950 A. 'r. STRETCH, JR

PILOT CHUTE EJECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11,- 1947 INVENTOR.

ALBERT T. STRETCH, JFK.

Min

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 24, 1950 A. T. STRETCH, JR

PILOT CHUTE EJECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 194"r IN VENTOR. ALBERT T. STRETCH,JR.

BY fiLJ/u GuA/ QVW ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 24, 1950 A. "r. STRETCH, JR

PILOT CHUTE EJECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet s Filed Feb. 11, 1947 INVENTOR. ALBERT T. STRETCH, JR.

BY MMW AT TORNEYS.

Jan. 24, 1950 A. Tl STRETCH, JR

PILOT CHUTE EJECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 11, 194v INVENTOR. ALBERT RSTRETCH,JR. BY

M MW

v ripcord assembly;

Patented Jan. 24 1950 PATENT OFFICE 2,4953% *PILoTcnUTKEJEo'roR Albert fithetchatiki, Trenton 5., assignor to :SwitlikeBarachute Gompany, ;lnc., Trenton, v

N. J., a corporation New Jersey I Application February 11, 1947, Serial No. 727,905

. 7 Glaims.

This v invention relates to the usual ttypes-sscf parachute assemblies whichlincludeaa pack that :zcomprises .a container, :8; parachutecanopy which is suitably attached :to the harness',:,and:ra 'piiot ,chute which assists withdrawing :the -;canopyf from the container when the container. is opened.

It is an object of the invention: to i provide a device inwhic'h the -pilot: chute willibezpositiveiy withdrawn from the con-tamer by :the opera'tor when the ripcord is operated to release the non- 'tainer closure, and which is so'- withdrawn:thatit 'wi11 be presented to the airs'tream skirt first and will withdraw-the canopy attire-parachute assembly from the container;peak 'iirst and thuspresent it to the airstream skirt first. I

It is a further object of theinvention to so construct the device that it maybe incorporated i-n parachute'packsof var ious types. e

With these and other -objects -'-in' view, such 'as will appear as the description-oi the invention progresses, the invention resides in thecons'truc- '"tionand arrangement of {partsillustrated in the '-drawing, described in th 4 specification and *recited in the claims.

In the drawings,- whereinthe invention is 'shown as applied to aback pack:

Figure 1 is an elevation-of aback packwitn "the invention applied thereto,a' portion 6f a' body harness being-shown to disclose "the mounting of the ripcord handle and the pilot chute'w-ithdrawing device;

Figure 2 is a sectionalview onthe 1ine'2--2 of Figure 1; 1 I

Figure 3 is an elevationalview, partly in section,

showing the construction of the ripcord-assembly;

Figure-Ms a fragmentary elevationa'l View show-- ing the attachment of the pilot chute flap to Figure 5 is a perspective'view of a pack with "the invention incorporated therein, after the pack 'has been opened upon the release of the ripcord from the securing cones and-grommets; and

Figure 6is a diagrammatic view showing the Referring, now,-to *theconstruction'shown in *the drawings, the'pack includes aback 'l and "flaps 2, 3, 4 and *5. "In Figure 1" the lift webs '8- and I are illus'trated'as extending from the pack and from the shroud lines in the usual manner,

and a portion'of one of "the risers is illustrated Referring, now, to- Figure "-2 of the drawing's' the -"canopy 9 is illustrated aspacked within the 'conthe x'tainertin the-usual manner, that is to say, folded back and forth, and the shroud lines, which are attached ltO :theskirtof the canopy-at l0, lie in the usua'limanner against the back l of thereonwizainer. -The-peak H of the canopy 9, with its went, .=is packed adjacent the closure flaps 2, 3,

and 5, as illustrated in Figures 2.and 5.

"The-flaps are. illustratedas .heldin their closed 'rpositionsvby the-usual cones and grommets, the lfl zcone *Dnfithe :fiap beingfindicated by the refereence i2, thevcone .0n1;the"fiap 4 being indicated by the reference numeral !3, and the theme oni'the flap'B-beingindicated by the'referaencenumeral .14.: :e

-lTheffiap *3iisi'providedwithgrommets l5 and 1-6 "ifor engagement. respectively with the icones I2 and 14:3,:Whi1e :the fiaplzaisprcvided with grommetsiiil uamdi lifliioriengagement mespectiizeiy the cones 31:2 and;the flap fiwibeingaprovidediwith a grommet I9 for engagement withiithexconel-il, all ,of

which is illustrated'in'Figure:2aof the drawings. These flaps are held inttheir vclosedzpositions ioy -the engagementzof the grommets with theirespecitiveucones; and areiocked in thispositionxbya ir ipc'ord rwhic'h later will he described, and aonezof fizh-e flaps is provid-ed with -.a flap 2 0 which covers "the cones andg rommets and the adjacent portion ortheripcordthis flap1=20 being held inplace 'm the usual manner by' detachable snap fasteners 39 21;.

In=the= drawings the pilot *chuteis indicated :by -the reference character 22 and -'-it includes the usual lines 2'3 and 24 "for' attaching'it to the peak or the-canopy 9 at itsvent. 1 1 Inorder that -the pilot chutemay he with- -drawn -from the packwhen the flaps are released,

a fabr ic str ip' 25 is provided which is of sufficient s ize; both*transversely and"longitudinally, to permit it to be rolled with the pilot chute 22 in the manner-illustratedin thedra'w'i-ngs so that the pilot chute will'be completely enclosed within the --'stri-p.

iltavili'be;observedirom the drawings that the "peak-'26 of the pi'lot -chute -is' located :adj acentthe *c'entralportion-of the rol l'whii'e the iines 23 are :adjacent the outletof the roll, and that the line "24 "extends around *the roll and over the top *thei'eof 'to-the' peakof the canopy to which it is attached. The pilotchute-eiector flap Z5 is ar- 'rangedto extendoutwardly' betweenthe flaps '2, "3,--4-and-5, and'is' provided with a-"gremmetfl which-is engageable with thecone l z below the grommet on the flap 3. This flap 25-extends*beworld "the eone outwardly of" the pack and is at- 55 tache'd; as'a't 18/130 a ripcor'd housing'Z-B.

and is adapted to slide, but its relative movement is limited by an abutment 31 which is rigid with the ripcord and is adapted to engage within the sleeve 36 so that any further pulling on the ripcord at by means of the handle will result in the movement of the ripcord and the ripcord housing as a unit.

The ripcord housing 29 is provided with a clip 38 which is rigidly attached thereto adjacent its end and the sleeve 36 is adapted to engage with a loop 39 on the riser 8 adjacent the pocket 40 in which the ripcord handle is engaged.

When the parachute assembly is completely packed the parts will be in the position illustrated in Figure 2, wherein the canopy 3, with its suspension lines and the inwardly extending portions of the lift webs 6 and 1, will be within the container, and the pilot chute 22 with the pilot chute ejector flap 25 will be rolled together and within the container on the top of the packed canopy and adjacent the peak ii of the latter.

The flaps 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be held in their closed positions in the usual manner by the cones, grommets and ripcord pins. Moreover, the pilot chute and its ejector flap 25 will be held fixedly in the pack by the engagement of the grommet 21 with the cone l2, with the result that the ripcord housing wil be releasably attached to the cone by this means.

When the ripcord is pulled, it will be drawn through the ripcord housing longitudinally to disengage the pins 31, 32 and 33, from the cones with which they cooperate. When the ripcord handle has been pulled to an extentsufficient to cause the engagement of the abutment 31 on the ripcord with the sleeve 36, the pins 3|, 32 and 33 will have been completely, disengaged from the cones with which they cooperate. Further pulling force applied to the ripcord handle will, because of the engagement of the abutment 31 with the sleeve 36, cause the ripcord 30 and the ripcord housing 29 to move as a unit. In this movement, the grommet 21 will be disengaged from the cone [2, with the result that if the flaps 3, 4 and 5 have not already opened, the grommets on these flaps will be disengaged from the cones and the flaps opened. Moreover, the pull exerted on the flap 2 of the container, through the grommet 21 and the cone I2, will open this flap and continued pulling on the ripcord handle will withdraw the pilot chute ejector flap 25 from the pack and this withdrawal will carry the pilot chute with it. However, because of the attachment of the line 24 to the peak of the canopy 9, the ejector flap 25 and the pilot chute will start to unroll as they are withdrawn and this unrollingwill continue until the flap 25 and the pilot chute have been completely withdrawn from the pack, at which time the pilot chute 22 will be completely released from the ejector flap 25, as illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. It will be observed, of course, that in thi withdrawal and release of the pilot chute the 4 skirt of the chute will be presented to the air stream so that the pilot chute will be quickly opened. It will thereafter aid in the withdrawal of the canopy 9, peak first, so that when the canopy reaches a completely withdrawn position its skirt will be presented to the air stream and thus quickly will inflate.

' It is to. be understood, that details and specific arang'ements of the device that I have selected to illustrate my invention may be made -without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims, and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to those details and arrangements except in so far as is made necessary by the claims.

I claim:

1. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having a back portion and a releasable closure adapted to overlie said back portion, a parachute canopy folded upon said back portion with its peak adjacent said closure, means for attaching said canopy to a load, a pilot chute, means attaching said pilot chute to the peak of said canopy, a flexible pilot chute ejector, said pilot chute and pilot chute ejector being folded together and located upon said canopy adjacent its peak portion and located entirely within said container, said releasable closure being located over said canopy, pilot chute and pilot chute ejector, means for securing said closure and said pilot chute ejector releasably together, and means for withdrawing said pilot chute and pilot chute ejector from said pack and for freeing said pilot chute from said pilot chute ejector.

2. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having a back portion and a releasable closure adapted to overlie said back portion, a parachute canopy folded upon said back portion with its peak adjacent said closure, means for attaching said canopy to a load, a pilot chute,

.meansattaching said pilot chute to the peak of said canopy, a pilot chute ejector, said pilot chute and said pilot chute ejector being rolled together in convolutions and located upon said canopy adjacent its peak portion, said releasable closure being located over said canopy, pilot chute and pilot chute ejector, means for securing said closure and said pilot chute ejector releasably together, and means for withdrawing said pilot chute and said pilot chute ejector from said pack and for unrolling said pilot chute and said pilot chute ejector to free them from the latter.

3. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having a back portion and a releasable closure adapted to overlie .said back portion, a parachute canopy folded upon said back portion with its peak adjacent said closure, means for attaching said canopy to a load, a pilot chute, means attaching said pilot chute to the peak of said canopy, a pilot chute ejector, said pilot chute and pilot chute ejector being folded together and located upon said canopy adjacent its peak portion, said releasable closure being located over said canopy, pilot chute and pilot chute ejector, means for securing said closure and said pilot chute ejector releasably together, and means for withdrawing said pilot chute and pilot chute ejector from said pack and for freeing said pilot chute from said pilot chute ejector, said last mentioned means including a rip cord housing securedto said ejector.

4, A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having a back portion and a releasable closure adapted to overlie said back portion, a parachute canopy folded upon said back portion si nifies with its peak adjacent said "closure, means for attaching ,said canopy to a load, a pilot'chute,

means attaching said pilotchute to the peak of said canopy, a pilot, chute "ejector, said pilot chute and said pilotchute e'jector being rolled togetherin convolutions,)with said pilot chute enclosed in'said ejector injconvolutions 'and'l'ocated upon said canopy adjacent its peak portion,

said releasable closure being located over isaid canopy, pilot chute and pilot'chute ejector, means for. securing said closure and said pilot chute ejector releasably together, and, means for withdrawing said pilot chute and saidjpilot chute'ejector from said pack and for unrolling saidjpilot chute andsaid pilot chutejejector to free'themfrom the latter, said last mentioned means including a ripcord housing secured'to said ejector; H '5. A parachute pack assembly comprising container having a releasable portion to permit 'the release of a canopy, a parachute canopy packed withinsaid container, a pilot chute attached to the peak of said canopy, a flexible ejector flap,said flap/and pilot chute being rolled in convolutions, with said pilot chute enclosed in said ejector and packed entirely within saidcontainer having a releasable} portion to permit the releaseof a canopy; a parachute canopy packed withinpsaid container, a pilot chute attached to the peak of said canopy, a flexible ejector flap, said flap and pilot'chutebeing rolled in r convolutions, 'with'said pilot chute enclosed in said ejector and packed in said container adjacent its said releasable portion, and manually operable means for Withdrawing said ejector and pilot chute from said container and for freeing said pilot chute from said ejector, said means being releasably connected with said releasable portion of said container to release the same.

7. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having a releasable portion to permit the release of a canopy, a parachute canopy packed within said container, a pilot chute attached to the peak of said canopy, a flexible ejector flap, said flap and pilot chute being folded together and packed in said container adjacent its said releasable portion, and manually operable means for withdrawing said ejector and pilot chute from said container and for freeing said pilot chute from said ejector, said means including a ripcord housing attached to said ejector and releasably attached to said container.

8. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having a releasable portion to permit the release of a canopy, a parachute canopy packed within said container, a pilot chute attached to the peak of said canopy, a flexible ejector flap, said flap and pilot chute being folded to gether and packed in said container adjacent its said releasable portion, and manually operable means for withdrawing said ejector and pilot chute from said container and for freeing said pilot chute from said ejector, said means being connected with said releasable portion of said container to release the same, said means including a ripcord releasably securing said releasable portion of said container in closed position and a ripcord housing attached to said ejector and releasably attached to said container.

9. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having a releasable portion to permit "the release'o f-a canopy, a parachute-canopy packed-withinsaid container, a-pilot chute-attached to the peak of saidfcanopy, a, flexible eje-c "tor flap, said flap and-pilot chute being folded together and packedinsaid container adjacent its "said releasable'portion, and manually operable means for withdrawing said ejector and pilot .chute from s'aidcontainer and for freeing'said pilot chute from said ejector,"said means being connected with said releasable portion of said container toreleas'e the'same, said means including a ripcord releasably securing said releasable "portio'n'ofsaid container in closed position and a ripcord housing attached to said ejector andreleasably attached'to said-container, said ripcord having a limited relative movementwithin' said "housing, and'meansfor limiting'said movement of said-ripcord within saidhousing.

10. A parachute pack assembly comprising-a {container having releasable, closure flaps; means for releasably securing said'fiaps together; a canopy packed within saidcontainer, a pilot chute, a flexible pilotchute ejector, said pilot chuteand ejector being rolled in convolutions, with said pilot chute enclosed-in said ejector and-packed within said container between said canopy and said flaps, and common manually operable means for releasingsaidj flaps and withdrawing said pilot chuteand said ejector from said container.

11. A parachute pack assembly comprisinga container having releasable flaps, means for re- "leasably securing said flaps togethen-a canopy packed within said container, a pilot chute, iii pilot chute ejector, said pilot chute and said ejector "being rolled together spirally and packed within aid container betweensaid canopy and-said flaps,

'and common manually operable'means for're- "leasin'gsaid flaps and withdrawing said pilot chute and said ejector from said container.

12. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having releasable flaps, means for releasably securing said flaps together, a canopy packed within said container, a pilot chute, a pilot chute ejector, said pilot chute and said ejector being rolled together spirally and packed within said container between said canopy and said flaps, and common manually operable means for releasing said flaps and withdrawing said pilot chute and said ejector from said container, the peak of said pilot chute being at the interior of said spiral.

13. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having releasable closure flaps, means for releasably securing said flaps together, a canopy packed within said container, a pilot chute, a flexible pilot chute ejector, said pilot chute and ejector being rolled in convolutions, with said pilot chute enclosed in said ejector and packed within said container between said canopy and said flaps, and common manually operable means for releasing said flaps and withdrawing said pilot chute and said ejector from said container, said means for releasably securing said flaps together including a rip cord and said common means including a rip cord housing in which said rip cord is located.

14. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having releasable closure flaps, means for releasably securing said flaps together, a canopy packed Within said container, a pilot chute, a flexible pilot chute ejector, said pilot chute and ejector being rolled in convolutions, with said pilot chute enclosed in said ejector and packed within said container between said canopy and said flaps, and common manually operable means for releasing said flaps and withdrawing said pilot chute and said ejector from said container, said means for releasably securing said flaps together including a rip cord and said common means including a rip cord housing in which said rip cord is located, said rip cord having movement within and relative to said housing and having movement with said housing whereby said flaps may be released by a pull on the ri cord and said ejector may be withdrawn from the container by a continuation of the pull on the rip cord.

15. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having releasable flaps, means for releasably securing said flaps together, a canopy packed within said container, a pilot chute, a pilot chute ejector, said pilot chute and ejector being folded together and packed within said container between said canopy and said flaps, common manually operable means for releasing said flaps and withdrawing said pilot chute and said ejector from said contanier, said means for releasably securing said flaps together including a rip cord and said common means including a rip cord housing in which said rip cord is located, said rip cord having movement within and relative to said housing and having movement with said housing whereby said flaps may be released by a pull on the rip cord and said ejector may be withdrawn from the container by a continuation of the pull on the rip cord, and cooperating abutments on said rip cord and said housing to eflectuate said last mentioned movement.

16. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having a releasable portion to permit the release of a canopy, a parachute canopy packed within said container, a pilot chute attached to the peak of said canopy, a flexible ejector flap, said flap and pilot chute being rolled in convolutions, with said pilot chute enclosed in said ejector and packed in said container adjacent its said releasable portion, and means located externally of said container for withdrawing said ejector and pilot chute from said container and for freeing said pilot chute from said ejector.

17. A parachute pack assembly comprising a container having a releasable portion to permit the release of a canopy, a parachute canopy packed within said container, a pilot chute attached to the peak of said canopy, a flexible ejector flap, said flap and said pilot chute being rolled in convolutions, with said pilot chute enclosed in said ejector and packed in said container adjacent said releasable portion, and means located externally of said pack for releasing said releasable portion of said pack and for withdrawing said ejector and pilot chute from said container and freeing said pilot chute from said ejector.

ALBERT T. STRETCH, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,509,410 Rufi Sept. 23, 1924 1,838,970 Trican Dec, 29, 1931 2,389,578 Quilter Nov. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 610,817 France June 19, 1926 

